Expression of Interest for Regional Coordinator / Team Leader on Safe Seas for Africa programme (SSA).

Regional Coordinator / Team Leader - Mauritius (Onsite with some flexibility to work remotely) 1.1 Overview of the Technical Assistance project The overall objective of the project is to support the effective, coherent and results-oriented implementation of two regional maritime programmes: The €25m Western Indian Ocean (WIO) component of the Safe Seas for Africa programme (SSA). The Action (a continuation / expansion of the previous EU supported MASE programme) aims to enhance maritime security and safety in the WIO, working to increase capacities and capabilities of national maritime law enforcement agencies, support the efficient prevention / redress / response / and adjudication of maritime-based crimes by judicial bodies, strengthen the capacities and capabilities of national and regional maritime security centres, and develop intranational / inter-agency and inter-regional coordination and cooperation; and The €16m Enhancing maritime security and safety of navigation in the Southern Red Sea, Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden region (Red Sea-HoA Programme II). The Action (a continuation of Phase I of the Red Sea-HoA Programme) aims to enhance maritime security and safety of navigation in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region, working to strengthen maritime law enforcement agencies, build the capacities of maritime affairs and port authorities, strengthen intra- and inter-regional Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and reinforce the capacities of national judicial bodies. The services will contribute to enhanced coordination of activities to improve maritime security and safety of navigation in the WIO and the Red Sea/Horn of Africa regions. The project will establish a PMU-type facility to facilitate implementation, coordination, monitoring, and reporting for the two programmes. Towards this end, this services contract will work towards achieving five (5) Specific Objectives: Specific Objective 1 – Programme coordination and coherence: To ensure effective coordination, supervision and coherence of actions implemented under the SSA programme and Red Sea/Horn of Africa programme, including complementarity and synergies among implementing partners. Specific Objective 2 – Ownership and engagement: To strengthen monitoring of implementation at country level and support national stakeholders in addressing challenges and enhancing ownership. Specific Objective 3 – Links with the regional maritime security architecture: To strengthen coordination and cooperation between regional and national partners and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) and Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) and support Red Sea/Horn of Africa partner countries in establishing and strengthening links to the two centres, when and if possible. Specific Objective 4 – Results-based management and reporting: To ensure RBM and strategic oversight of both programmes through systematic monitoring of the logframe indicators, analysis of progress at country and regional level, and provision of evidence-based recommendations for decision-making and programme steering. Specific Objective 5 – Strategic Support to the EU: To provide continuous technical and strategic support and guidance to the EU in the implementation of the SSA and Red Sea/Horn of Africa programmes, ensuring coherence with wider EU initiatives and policies in the region. 1.2 Key project data Publication Date: Prior Information Notice (start of services procurement) 08/04/2026. Anticipated publication date for Contract Notice (invitation for RtPs) 25/05/2026 Request to Participate Submission Deadline (EOI): June-July 2026 Indicative Invitation to Tender (ITT) Date (shortlisting): Anticipated September-October 2026 Provisional Commencement Date: Anticipated Q1-Q2 2027 Duration: 48 months (4 years) 2.2 The Key Expert Team Key Experts play a central role in the management and implementation of the technical assistance, with their CVs comprising an integral part of the Service Contract. As such, Key Experts will: Provide technical and managerial leadership to the overall project, utilising their respective technical expertise to drive results in the respective thematic areas covered by the Service Contract, as appropriate. Lead engagement with project counterparts, stakeholders, and recipients of technical assistance. Plan, budget, and manage project resources (NKE pool and financial resources available under the Incidental Budget and other applicable budget lines) in line with the needs of the project and as agreed with applicable stakeholders (EUD, Implementing Partners, Regional Organisations and Agencies, and National governments and stakeholders, and ASE). Appropriate support and backstopping will be provided by ASE in this regard. Lead on local project management, in coordination with the EUD and ASE’s backstopping team. This will notably include primary responsibility for project Inception, Interim, and Final Reporting. Assume line-management of technical experts (NKEs) as applicable, ensuring value for money in the planning, deployment, and consumption of NKE resources and maintaining quality control of NKE outputs / deliverables. Key Expert 1 – Regional Coordinator / Team Leader (Place of Posting: Mauritius) The Team Leader (KE1 / TL) will lead the management and implementation of technical assistance services under this contract. They will work directly with the appointed Programme Manager from the EUD, maintaining close relationship built on mutual trust, transparency, and meticulous forward planning and reporting. This will include managing and planning project resources (NKE pool, incidental expenditure, and other budget lines as applicable, in close coordination with ASE’s Project Manager). As the de-facto representative of the project, the Team Leader will cultivate and maintain close working relationships with key stakeholders including: EU Institutions: The EU Delegation to the Republic of Mauritius and to the Republic of Seychelles (Contracting Authority), and other EU Delegations in the WIO / and Red Sea – HoA regions; EU coordinating bodies (Red Sea Task Force; CMP Coordination); EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions (EUCAP Somalia; EUTM Somalia); EU Naval Operations (EUNAVFOR Atalanta; Operation Aspides); EU Member States (including naval and technical contributions). Implementing Partners: IOC, IGAD, UNODC, INTERPOL, IMO National Maritime Security Actors (Operational Front Line): Maritime law enforcement agencies; Coast guards, navies, and maritime security agencies; Port Authorities; Customs Authorities; Maritime operational centres and national security units. Justice and Legal Chain Actors (“Legal Finish” Stakeholders): Stakeholders involved in investigation, prosecution, adjudication of maritime crimes. Prosecutors; judges and magistrates; judicial institutions; investigation units (including maritime investigation units); Ministries of Justice in the WIO and Red Sea – HoA regions. ▪ Core Line Ministries and National Governance Actors: Ministries of Transport, Defence, Interior, Justice, Finance, Fisheries / Maritime Affairs / Environment; National Maritime Security Committees / Coordinating Bodies. ▪ Regional Maritime Security Architecture Actors: Stakeholders in the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC) Framework; Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC); Regional Coordination and Operations Centre (RCOC); National Maritime Information Sharing Centres; Regional Coordination Fora and maritime security platforms; Regional Organisations (IOC and IGAD). ▪ Maritime Industry and Private Sector actors: Shipping companies, Port operators, Maritime logistics actors, Private sector stakeholders using sea lanes. ▪ Civil Society, Communities, and Non-State Actors: Civil society organisations (CSOs), Local coastal communities, Non-state actors involved in maritime governance, Training institutions / centres of excellence The Team Leader will assume technical leadership of project services in relation to coordination of both Actions, leading a team including a coordinator for each Action (SSA / RS HoA), and an assistant coordinator. Qualifications & Skills: Master’s Degree in Political or Social Sciences, Security Studies, Development Studies, Law, Public Administration, or other technical area, as relevant to the scope of the assignment. Excellent organisation, reporting, and presentation skills. Full fluency in English is mandatory (speaking, reading, writing) (C2 level). Full fluency in French will be an asset (speaking, reading, writing) (C1 level minimum). Working knowledge of other languages from the WIO and/or Red Sea – Horn of Africa region will be an asset. General Professional Experience: At least 10 years of professional experience in the areas of project and programme management, ensuring multi-stakeholder coordination, results-based management / monitoring / and reporting, in the context of international cooperation programming. Specific Professional Experience: At least 5 years of relevant experience supporting Security Sector Reform (SSR) and/or Justice Sector projects and/or programmes. Proven long-term project / programme leadership experience, demonstrable through previous Team Leader (or equivalent) roles on long-term assignments (minimum 12 months / 220 FTE). Relevant experience in maritime security (project / programme based, or through professional experience in national, regional, or international institutions or organisations) will be a significant asset. Thorough understanding of EU Project Cycle Management (PCM) frameworks, including monitoring and reporting requirements. Relevant experience (Security Sector Reform, Maritime Security, Justice Sector Reform, or other technical area demonstrably relevant to the assignment) and demonstrable understanding of relevant institutional frameworks and stakeholders in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and/or Red Sea – Horn of Africa region will be a significant asset.